Paint mask structure



'J. E. 'DUGGAN rum MASK STRUCTURE Filed April 8, 1942 INVENTOR.

JAMES EDWARD oussm Patented July 20, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFl-CE I "aszasesi v PAINT'MASK'STRUCTURE- James Edward Duggan, Detroit, Mich. Application April 8, 1942, Serial No. 43s,1sa

10 Claims.

This invention relates generally to devices; that are used to protect one or more surfaces or portions .of articles from painter a plating substance applied to adjacent surfaces orport on thereof, and refersmore particularly to a. mask tructure app icable to the arti les to b painte or plated,

One of the essential obiects ftn invention is to provide a ma k s ruotur ztha s s a ed o conform tothe u f oesor po t ons hobo rotected and that has its own fastening means.

. Another object is to provide a mask structure wherein the masking portion thereof and the apparentas this description proceeds, especially when vconsidered in connection "with the accom panying Tdrawing, wherein: f

Figure 1 is an elevational View of a section or an electric motor-housing; with parts'broken awayand'in section; L Figure 2 is a sectional view taken onthe'line 2-2 ofFigurel;

Figure 31s a sectional view taken' on the'line Figure 4 is a view similar to FigureB but showing one of the projectionsfand extension thereof'instretched position;

Figure 5 is a fragmentarybottom perspective view of themasking structure; l Figure 6 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of the mask; Referring now to the drawing, 1A is a section of an electric motor housing that is preferably and'B is a mask embodying my invention for protecting certain surfaces or'por-tionsof said housing from painttor platingmaterialapplied to the adjacent portions thereof As shown, .the uhousing A i az firnetalycasting 1 havinga circular portion 10 provided at one end with an annular flange ll. At the inner side of thi fl ne ris t l2 orroo v n amedsc of another section (not show of the housing, while at circumfcrentiallyspaced-points ot the e intended for useupon an airplane propeller-hub,

outer. side of said flange are laterally projecting lugs 13 for attachment to the second mentioned section of the housing. Any suitable means such as bolts (not shown) may be engaged with holes l4 insthe lugs l3 to secure the sections together. n

In the present instancethe outer suriaces l5 and l 6, 'reSpectiVely, of thefia nge II and lugs 5 1 l3 and the surfaces I1 and 18, respectively, of

t oot rehi hly fin hedin acco d nce wit go ernmen specifi ations, hen e 1 the mask 3 h s been provided to vent pa nt o plating m t r a l d to e ex e ior or interior of. theseon t n A irom cao n u h suria si Pr e ably this mas B s n th fo'rm f anannil us aving a horizontal portion I}! for coveringtheputer surface; of the. annular flange and having a e e d p r ionizil fo ve in jthe urfaces ll nd Hi of the rabbetp'rh horizonta p rt on 19 o the nulu also as atspaoedpoints. .cir-

cum e nt yi;thereof latera y p o ectin lu s.

1y conform in shape ..to an cover the lugs 1! Thus; when theannulus Bf is 0 applied to theanjiular flange II of lthe' housing, the surfaces l5;to l8, finc1usive,- are effectively cover d and prote ted ro paint ior. plat g aterial thatmay beappliedin .anyzsuitable manner to either the exterior or interior jofthe housing.

Preferably .themask B has its-p M-fasteningor anchorage means which referably, is in thetorm of substantially cylindricalprojections 22 on the -undersides of the lugs 21 for engagement with the holes Minnie lugs 13 of .theyhousing; Nor.- m'ally, the crossvsectionalarea ofrtheprojections .22 is slightly larger than thecrosssectiona'l area of the holes 14 so that .said projections are 1111- able to enter-the holes l4 by merely inserting them into the holes, however .when theylhave .been inserted as hereinafter described they will ,fit snugly in and frictionallyengagethe walls/of said holes to maintain the annulus iniproperxeri gagement with the surfaces 15110 lainclusive, to

be protected.

. In the present instancethe insertion: ofthe projectionslZZ into the holes 14 is accomplished by the provisionat the lower (ends of said projections of Lendwise substantially cylindrical extension s 23 of reduced crosssection thatserve as linger pieces. Thus, when it is desired to insert the projections 22 into the holes Hluthe exten sions 2,3 ar i s r ed fi st into thenolesso that they project below the 1u Sj{|3 suchlextensions ';23;,ar e then pulled dovvnwardly as indicated in Lmlo-ihe cs 1 5; theretos retoh dth proec i n ras isuflioiont y to ntorthe ol fr y bu 1 w e the e te ons it are zro ea od after-theimask B is inits prjoper masking posis55 Etion, the extensions 23 expand to su tantially their -normalvsize, and i n doing so; hey will fit {sj hl fi t o a yf n a e t ew i s of s d a holes to maintain theparts in assembled relation.

Thus, from the foregoing it will be apparent that the mask B will effectively cover and progilre 4 lo Strotqh t eroiootions.-;22; dow wa d tect the surfaces l to l8, inclusive, from paint or plating material applied to the housing, that the mask B and fastening means 22 are formed from resilient material and constitute a one piece structure, and that the fastening means 22 may easily be manipulated by the finger pieces 23 to anchor the mask in place. In fact, the extensions or finger pieces 23 also serve as pilots for the projections 22 and assist in locating properly the mask B upon the housing. It will also be apparent that the one piece structure mentioned may be applied to or moved from the article to be painted or plated without marring the same,

What I claim as my invention is:

l. A mask structure formed from resilient material and having a masking element shapedto conform to angularly disposed surfaces or portions of an article, said masking element having projections engageable with holes in said article to fasten the element thereto, said projections normally being slightly larger than the holes, and means to stretch the projections to contract them within said holes, said projections being adapted when the stretching means is released to expand within and frictionally engage the walls of said holes to maintain the parts in assembled relation.

2. A mask structure formed from resilient material and having a masking. element shaped to conform to angularly disposed surfaces or portions of an article, said masking element having integral projections engageable with holes in said article to fasten the element thereto, and said projections having extensions serving as pilots in said holes for the projections and as finger pieces, said projections normally being slightly larger than the holes but being adapted to be stretched into said holes by said extensions.

3. A mask structure of the class described comprising an annulus having a horizontal portion and a dependin portion, the horizontal portion being provided at circumferentially spaced points with laterally projecting lugs provided on the underside thereof with depending substantially cylindrical projections having reduced endwise extensions constituting finger pieces.

4. A mask structure of the class described comprising a masking body having a horizontal portion and a depending portion, the horizontal portion being provided at spaced points thereof with laterally projecting lugs provided on the underside thereof with depending substantially cylindrical projections.

5. A one piece mask structure formed from resilient material comprising an annulus having a horizontal portion and a depending portion, the horizontal portion being provided at circumferentially spaced points with laterally projecting lugs provided on the underside thereof with depending substantially cylindrical projections having reduced endwise extensions constituting finger pieces. 1

6. A one piece mask structure formed from resilient material comprising a masking body having a horizontal portion and a depending portion, the horizontal portion being provided at spaced points thereof with laterally projecting lugs provided on the underside thereof with depending substantially cylindrical projections having reduced endwise extensions constituting finger pieces. 7

7. A masking device for protecting a portion of an article from paint or plating material applied to an adjacent portion of said article, comprising a masking element shaped to cover the portion to be protected and having stretchable projections frictionally engageable with holes in said portion to maintain the masking element in operative masking position, said projections normally being slightly larger than said holes, and means extending endwise from said projections operable initially in the holes as pilots for the projections and operable thereafter as finger pieces whereby the projections may be stretched and thereby contracted within the holes,'said projections being adapted when the finger pieces are released to expand within and frictionally engage the walls of said holes to maintain the masking element in operative masking position as aforesaid. I

8. A masking device for protecting a portion of an article from paint or plating material applied to an adjacentportion of said article, comprising a masking element'sliaped to cover 'the portion to be protected and having on the {underside thereof stretchable projections frictionally engageable with holes in 'saidportion to 'maintain the masking element in operative masking position, said projections normally being slightly larger than said holes and having endwise extensions operable initially in the' holes as pilots for the projections and operable thereaftenas finger pieces whereby the projections maylbe stretched and thereby contracted within the holes, said projections being adapted whenthe finger pieces are released to expand within and frictionally engage the walls of said holes to maintain the masking element in operative'masking position as aforesaid. r

9. A one piece masking device for protecting a portion of an article from paint or plating material applied to an adjacent portion of said article, comprising a masking element shaped, to cover the portion to beiprotected and having projections of resilient materialffrictionally en-, gageab-le with holes in said portion to maintain the masking element in operative masking posi tion, said resilient projections normally being slightly larger than said holes but adaptedto be stretched and thereby contracted, within .said holes, and means constituting finger pieces connected to the projections and operable to stretch the same so that they will be contracted within said holes, said projections being'adapted when the finger pieces are released to expand within and frictionally engage the Walls of said holes to maintain the masking element in operative'masking position as aforesaid. 3

10. A one piece mask'structure formedefrom resilient material and having a masking element shaped to conform to angularly disposed surfaces or portions of an article, and projectionson the.

underside of and substantially; at rightangles'to the masking element engageable withrholesiin said article to hold the masking element in an operative masking position, said projections normally being slightly larger than. the holes; and means to stretch the projections tocQntractthem within said holes, said projectionsbeing adapted when the stretching means is'releas'ed to-expand within and' frictionally engage the walls" of said holes to maintain the masking {element in operative masking position. a

- JAMES YEDWARDVDUGQANL 

